Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live and anything else mentioned that already has their respective owners.

A/N:Hello every LoveLiver who will read this FF. I'm just trying this out for now and if it did seem to be good then I'll continue this. Yes. It's Book One out of Three, that is if I continue the FF. I hope you'll like it. Read and Enjoy!

Love Live Fantasies:

Book One: The Red Knight

Chapter One: An Introduction Like No Other

Year 20XX, Valhalla Palace, Morning.

Morning in the palace were always busy with maids, chefs and guards buzzing all around the place doing their duties respectively. Even ministers were always early to wake up and repeat their daily routine of looking over the country's wealth and welfare. Although their territory has finally grasped the ownership and knowledge for advanced technology, his majesty has never allowed any machine to take care of his country and his people, "By the end of the day, blood is still thicker than water…or metal in this case" is what his majesty would usually respond to his ministers.

Anyways, back to the usual happenings, outside of the palace the royal gardener has been busy digging holes for the newly grown plants for the new season. Even before the sun was able to light up the horizon, Koizumi Hanayo, Valhalla Zap's royal gardener, is already taking care of the flowers and plants around the entire palace. Soldiers, guards and even maids would always notice how hard working and passionate the young girl is with her work. And they would always shift their gaze towards the palace's special glass garden.

The garden was a gift by another royal family to the Nishikino's. The beautiful scenery offered by the small area would never cease to amaze the visitors in the palace. But this was not the main reason why the royal gardener took good care of the glass garden. Oh, how the maids would always eaves drop whenever the right-hand man of the Royal princess would come and visit the royal gardener…err… they mean whenever she would visit the glass garden and totally not the gardener. They would always watch from afar the romantic scene unfolding in front of them.

But the two would never admit their feelings not even to the royal family.

There was that one time when Princess Maki decided to visit the glass garden when she saw her childhood friend, the royal knight, was heading towards the area. But she was not expecting the nervousness that was mixed in one Hoshizora Rin's voice. For all the time they have been together, Maki was so sure that Rin's confidence would never waver, along with her nya's and to be able to find her stuttering just from a simple statement of, "Hey, do you know where the royal gardener is?" to say that the red-haired was amused would be a huge understatement.

And so, she decided to secretly follow her friend after Rin shook her head vigorously and headed towards the opposite direction. And the scene she found next was rather interesting than watching knights brawl one another.

The royal knight was busy hiding herself behind one of the fluffy bushes near the glass garden. Or rather, she was busy watching like a hawk over the other side of the glass garden, where the brunette gardener is busy tending to her beloved plants and flowers. The cool princess quietly left the area to be able to give her friend her much needed stalking.

Aside from the busy royal gardener, another figure to be easily noticed and remember outside of the palace is the royal chef who is picking up fresh fruits and vegetables from the palace's personal farm. Kousaka Honoka loves preparing different cuisines with the use of freshly picked and edible ingredients. The ginger-head is on her way of becoming the palace's head chef under the care of the current head chef, Mr. T.

Honoka, unlike the other royal chefs, did not come from any decent family or orphanage. She was found by the king along the roads of a country he once visited. The ginger-head tried stealing from the king's Prime Minister, Tojou Kuroki. Luckily, the gentle woman has a soft heart for little girls, since she always remembers her daughter on them, and did not even thought twice to punish little Honoka.

Instead, Kuroki decided to adopt the little thief since she feels lonely being away from her original home. The king respected her decision and instantly ordered his men to prepare a room for the little girl in the palace. The Prime Minister was so happy that day that she decided to hold a party for her new little girl. Maybe her own daughter would be happy to meet her someday.

To say that they Honoka is a good chef would be the greatest understatement of the year, according to the royal princess herself. Having found out how great of a cook Honoka actually is, the Prime Minister instantly put her under the wing of Mr. T. and the head chef's only statement after having tasted the little thief's cook was a simple, "You have found a diamond in the making"

Well, the princess grew fond of the royal chef like she's an older sister, although she is very childish and irresponsible to things that doesn't have any relations to food. Maki would always smile at the foolish sight of Honoka, and add some Rin in the equation and it would result to an infinite chaos that is until they got zero energy.

Back to the insides of the palace, his majesty has just taken his breakfast, in pure silence since the absence of her daughter brought loneliness to his first meal for the day. But the king knew that his only heiress is busy with the preparations for today's special event. The king could only sigh at what is about to happen later on and at how tiring the evening would be.

"Your majesty, aren't you supposed to go prepare for the evening? After all, visitors, allies and friends would be coming later and you have to greet them personally as well"

Nishikino Ryuki stared at his hard-working Prime Minister feeling somewhat constricted whenever the woman is around. He admired her passion but Kuroki was just so…straight-laced and stubborn! If only she would learn how to chill out as Rin would have worded. Fortunately, Honoka was there to bring some chill to the old woman's life, he might have said old but their ages aren't too far from each other.

"Right. Preparations. Speaking of preparations, how is Maki doing? Will she be fine for the upcoming coronation?"

The king could no longer hide his worry for his only daughter and heiress. If only her wife had not left them for another woman, he could have had a son that would be strong and be able to inherit his throne without him worrying his self out.

Not that her daughter is incapable, but the ways of the coronation is just so…brutal.

How he hated his great great grandfather for having had made an unbreakable law that would only allow an heir or heiress to formally inherit the throne after completing the three Royal Tasks. The first two tasks were simple and easy to accomplish for her daughter. Knowledge and talents are what Maki is made of if he has to say so himself. But her daughter was never the brute and strong type, so the king could only hope that Maki's 3 year stay on the other side of the world would actually give her the key to completing the tasks for the evening.

And his majesty hopes that the knights would go easy on his beloved and well-treasured daughter.

"That is something that we would all want to know, your majesty. The princess has not arrived yet from her long training on the other side," Kuroki bluntly said the obvious since it seemed like her king thought she has some kind of mind powers simply because she could somewhat predict the future in a tricky poem or stories.

"But don't worry. We both know just how much Princess Maki treasures this country and its citizens. That itself is an assurance that your daughter would not fail her tasks this evening, don't you think so too?"

That statement helped in easing the king's worries which is obviously visible on the way his wrinkled forehead slowly smoothens out. And her statement actually held truth since Kuroki had already seen a future where the Princess has acquired the throne although there was some kind of glitch. The princess did not become Valhalla Zap's queen, instead…

"Ah. I have to go and make sure the meals for the evening were prepared completely. If you may excuse me my majesty"

Watching his Prime Minister's retreating back, the king just hoped that her daughter would survive the evening without even a light bruise on her body.

"Damn that barbaric old geezer! I knew he was behind the sudden change of the coronation process. Arrr!" the king groaned as he made his way towards his room to prepare for the evening.

"Riiiin-chaaaannnnn!"

Having finished the preparations for tonight's coronation, Honoka was finally able to take some rest out of the steamy kitchen. And as soon as she had closed the doors of the kitchen room, the ginger-head quickly rushed towards the possible location of a certain short-haired, cat-like royal knight. And her experience has never failed her whenever it comes to searching for her friends.

She found Rin hiding behind the bushes outside of the glass garden.

Honoka had quietly and stealthily crawled towards her friend's hideout which somewhat surprised Rin.

"Honoka-chan, what are you doing here nya?"

The royal knight made sure to crouch lower to hide herself and whispered her question to the sudden appearance of the chef.

"We had just finished the preparations for the coronation tonight and I was wondering if you would like to wait outside of the palace for Maki-chan?"

Honoka whispered back, hoping that Rin would join her and leave her stalking business for tomorrow. But she saw Rin weighing the choices in her head.

"Ooh! I prepared a picnic box for the two us as we wait there"

Honoka knew that bribery is the only key as what Maki had always told her before. But Rin is still weighing her options. Seriously, the cat girl should just confess her feelings for the gardener. If it was Honoka on her shoe that is what she would definitely do! Because it is not every day that a person would fall in love and it is not every day that the person they love would also love them back, so why not take the opportunity and see how things go from there?

"I got that special instant ramen that can only be found on the other side, hehe"

Grinning like she had finally become the head chef, Kousaka Honoka knew that she had won her friend over.

"Ramen nya! Count Rin in nya!"

And without any more hesitation, Honoka found herself being led by Rin towards the palace gates.

They were not able to see the pout plastered on the blushing gardener's face as the two energetic girls made their way towards the gate.

"I wonder what Maki-chan looks like now, nya~ it has been three years since we last saw her. And the only thing she would send us were letters and souvenirs from the country she is currently in, nya!"

Rin had voiced out one of her daily questions while idly waiting for her instant ramen to be cooked, which would take a good five minutes. Ever since Maki learned that the only way to acquire the throne was to complete the three Royal Tasks, their friend had personally asked her father to send her on the other side to be able to become strong enough to complete the tasks.

"I'm wondering that myself too, Rin-chan! Although I'm sure Maki-chan would still be very beautiful and kind and playful! Mmmmm~! This bread is so tasty!"

Honoka's reply got Rin thinking more. What if their relationship with Maki is no longer like before? What if Maki found some new friends and decided to replace them? What if Maki finally found a lover?!

"Oh, Rin-chan. Maki-chan would never do those kind of things. Remember, Maki-chan is our friend and a friend of hers will also be a friend of ours. Besides, I'm sure Maki-chan is worrying the same things like that on her way here,"

Rin gaped at the words that Honoka had spoken. Has she not been able to control herself that she spoke her doubts without even realizing it? Or maybe Honoka is just some kind of psychic just like her adopted mother.

"Although I'm not sure if Maki-chan had found a lover since she is like a tsundere! Maki-chan's lover would have to be some kind of a tsundere as well to be able to grasp Maki-chan's tsundere tendencies. Oh. And I learned how to read mind through people's facial expressions so no I don't have any psychic powers. Hehe"

Honoka simply continued munching on her bread while Rin's jaw dropped as the cat girl watched her friend saying some wise stuff while happily eating a bread. Sometimes Rin wonder if Honoka is really stupid or intelligent.

Realizing that it was time for her to take some tasty and savory ramen, the orange-haired girl instantly removed the lid off of the cup and picked up the pair of chopsticks she got from a certain brunette gardener.

"I just wish that nothing bad would happen this evening"

Donning on his extravagant attire for the evening, the king is idly sitting on his throne and waiting for any news that would tell him that his daughter is finally on the way to the palace. But alas! Not even a single report has reached them since the time the princess has left the other side in their private plane. Fixing the collar of his newly tailored white tuxedo, Ryuki had looked at his wrist watch for the umpteenth time watching the second hand's movement.

"Ahh~ waiting eagerly with an empty stomach does not fit you my Lord. I'm sure the guests would laugh at the entertainment that is hearing your rumbling stomach"

Mr. T has opened the door to the palace's living room where the king's and queen's thrones are placed respectively. Behind him are two of the new male butlers strolling a tray of food and wine for their king. After paying their respects, Mr. T gazed at his majesty's face only to smile wryly at the paled face of the worrywart king. Not many have known but the king and Mr. T are childhood friends just like how Honoka and Maki are. This is another reason why Mr. T would often visit his king since he knows just how much of a wimp and a worrywart Ryuki actually is.

"Ugh…Taro…stop with the jokes, please. I think I can no longer bear to idly wait here for my daughter's arrival. I knew I should have not sent her on the other side. What if those assassins were already after her? If only I could devoid the law for the Royal Tasks"

Squinting his eyes as he stared his friend down, Mr. T never liked it when Ryuki uses his real name. Who in their right mind would even want the name Taro? He really hates it and wanted to replace it with something more fancy and good for the ear. But no. changing it will never change the fact that ninety-five percent of their country already knew his real name. It was all Ryuki's fault for advertising his secret powdered recipe entitling it, "Taro's Magical Powder" the head chef remembered how he became the laughing matter of the entire palace. Even Kuroki could not keep herself from laughing during that time.

"Oh, Ryuki. You don't have to worry about little Maki-chan! Just look at you!"

Mr. T dramatically pointed his hand towards the king's direction and this cause not just Ryuki to look at him but also the two butlers. Raising a slender eyebrow, his majesty wondered what his friend is referring to.

"Me?"

"Yes! You were able to complete the three Royal Tasks and acquired the throne. That is why I am very sure Maki-chan would be able to do so as well. So don't worry"

The king grinned at how his friend tried to cheer him up by boosting his ego. Taro truly knew just how he could bring a smile onto his friend's face.

"Ehehe. Taro, I already know how great I am at that time so you don-"

"Huh? I never said that you were great at that time, Ryuki. You were so weak and so thin when you took the Royal Tasks but was still able to completely annihilate a battalion of our soldiers. That is why I am very sure that Maki-chan would be able to do it without even breaking a sweat"

"That actually hurts, you know"

The king wiped away an invisible tear from his left eye and sniffing his sorrows away. Sometimes the head chef is just so blunt and direct with his words. This was one of the reasons only a few of his apprentices could complete his training routine. He would either break them through the tasks he gives them or through the cruel words he would shout at them. And yes, Honoka experienced the same treatment since Taro does not like favoritism.

"You know I was just joking, Ryuki"

"The 'I'm so weak part or the Maki would complete the tasks part'? If you don't answer me truthfully I'll make sure to bring Maki into the kitchen"

"Oh dear God! No! Please NO! Your daughter is a walking disaster once she enters the kitchen room!"

The head chef clutched his head in terror and horrifying memories brought back by the simple threat the king had mentioned. It was long time ago when Maki was still at her teenage years. The red-haired princess wanted to bake some cookies for a special visitor at that time that is why she seek help from the head chef himself.

And since Maki's mother was a well-known cook in their country, Taro-san did not expect the disaster that surprised him and caused the explosion within his beloved kitchen. Who would have known that Maki inherited her father's incapability inside the kitchen? Until now, the head chef himself wondered what happened to that special guest who ate Maki's… err… cookies. He then remembered the other reason why had visited his friend.

"Speaking of Princess Maki. I think it is time for you to pass down the family heirloom to her before the coronation begins. That way her success in the three Royal Tasks would be secured"

Hearing the phrase 'family heirloom', the king's dark grey eyes instantly got sharp and his aura got serious. Wincing at the sudden sight of his friend, Taro mentally slapped himself for conveying bluntly. The butlers as well jerked at the powerful and deadly emitted by their majesty.

"I understand where you are coming from, Taro. But decisions like that are not to be touched by someone outside of the family"

Taro smiled wryly at his friend, although that is what he said he knew that Ryuki is just having a very hard time handling emotional subjects concerning their family. After all, when his friend inherited the family heirloom, Ryuki almost got killed just having to control it. Since that day, Mr. T swore to never step on his friend's bad side.

"I understand. Forgive me for my rudeness, my Lord"

The two most energetic member of the palace were still waiting for the arrival of their childhood friend who has been gone for three years straight. However, unlike before where the two girls were so full of energy, right at that moment, Rin and Honoka were already nearing their limit as they patiently wait for the red-headed princess. Even the picnic box Honoka brought was now emptied and shut close.

"Haah… I wonder when Maki-chan is coming nya!"

"I want more bread, Rin-chan!"

"Honoka-chan, you'll become a cow if you eat lots of bread nya!"

Rin smiled wryly as she stared at her friend's dejected face when she heard just how dangerous breads are. Shifting her gaze back to the front gates, the royal knight failed to see anything that would signal their friend's arrival.

"Ne, Rin-chan. Why don't you confess to Hanayo-chan already?"

Rin did not expect the sudden question thrown her way since Honoka was never one to tackle such issues. It would always be Maki to ask such questions after all. Although she already has an answer, Rin still acted as if she is thinking over what Honoka had asked.

"You know, Maki-chan would be really angry when she finds out that after all these years Rin-chan still has not confessed to Hanayo-chan. I'm sure she'll be fuming and look just as red as the tomatoes she loves to eat"

Rin and Honoka grinned at the memory of a five year old Maki fuming while eating her favorite tomatoes.

"But it's not that easy, Honoka-chan nya! Falling in love is one thing but confessing is a total different matter!"

The short-haired royal knight defends herself as she throws her arms everywhere looking red and flustered. The ginger-haired chef could only smile at the embarrassed look of her usually energetic friend.

"You have not even fallen in love before, Honoka-chan. So you don't have a clue of what I'm experiencing. Mou!"

Rin pouted her lips to obviously tell Honoka that she is not liking their current topic for conversation. Honoka figured this out and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. Rin was not wrong though since she had never really experience falling in love with someone. All her life Honoka has dedicated her life to her training, her adopted mother and her childhood friends.

"Let's just talk about Maki-chan then! What do you think Maki-chan's lover would be like?"

"Hmm…Maki-chan's lover, nya? I'm sure she'll be small. Definitely small. After all Maki-chan always got attracted to small and cute things nya!"

The two giggled at that revelation. Even though Maki tried her best to hide her preferences, Honoka and Rin already figured out since their friend is so obvious. Maki-chan when she first met the royal gardener, who looked timid and small and cute at the age of twelve, was the princess' first crush. However, when puberty hit Hanayo-chan, Maki no longer showed admiration towards her.

"Luckily Maki-chan is no longer Rin's rival nya!"

"Yep. Yep. I got so scared at that time since I don't know what to do whenever you and Maki-chan would argue who is better for Hanayo-chan. Geez. Love makes people crazy, huh?"

"I wonder if Maki-chan would also go crazy over the one she loves nya?"

The two tried to imagine a moment where Maki would be falling head over heels for a certain person who is small and cute and whatever Maki likes. They were laughing so hard that they did not notice the figure hovering over them.

"And why would I go crazy over something so stupid?"

Recently, the palace hired some much needed maids just a month before the designated return of the princess. Since the only maids left were the older and most loyal ones, the head maid had requested some additional members to her king. Mrs. Marie knew that she could handle things around the palace with just her and the remaining twenty-one maids of the Nishikino's. However, with the upcoming coronation which would obviously have hundreds of guests coming from different parts of the world, the old woman don't think that she and her crew would be able to handle them.

Fortunately at that month, lots of unemployed young women coming from poor families were eagerly looking for jobs that would ensure a three-times-a-day meal in their household. The interviews held were led by the Prime Minister and the head maid herself. After all, Mrs. Marie would never let any indecent girl to represent the Nishikino's group of maids. Being meticulous about their decisions, out of the three hundred women whose age range from fifteen to thirty, only fifty were selected.

And one of these fifty women is the dark-haired, twin-tailed, petite teenage girl that goes by the name Yazawa Nico. Nico never actually dreamt of becoming a maid for the royal family since her long-time dream is way too far from this. But due to some personal reasons regarding her family, Nico has to stop college and find a decent job to help her mother and her family. Seeing her single mom working day and night just to be able to sustain her and her three other siblings, Nico's heart was broken. She was left with the only choice of getting a decent job with a reasonable wage which she'll use to feed her mother and siblings. And if she'll be able to save a part of those monthly payment, she would keep them for the time she decided to return to college.

Luckily, one of her friends heard that the royal family are in need of maids in preparation for the coronation of the Nishikino heiress. And Nico does not need any more push to jump at the opportunity of serving the royal family. After all, being chosen and hired as a royal maid have lots of medical and financial benefits. Not just for her but for her family as well.

But one thing Nico did not expect during the interviews were the weird questions asked by the head maid, Mrs. Marie. Nico swore she had never imagined that an old woman like Mrs. Marie would be able to speak of such scandalous and crazy questions. She almost fainted from all of the embarrassment she had to endure just to get a slot of being a royal maid. Hopefully, the prime Minister was there to ease her nerves during the interview.

"Base from the resume we have of you, Ms. Yazawa. You had discontinued college just recently. And why is that?"

That was the first question the head maid had spoken of which to Nico relief has seemed somewhat reasonable. Gripping the hem of her skirt, Nico was prepared to answer her in an instant.

"Well, I-"

"You are not planning to do something unimaginable once you enter the palace, are you?"

The sudden closeness of the head maid's face to hers surprised Nico making her jerk from her position. Luckily she was able to stop herself from jumping out of her seat.

"No! I-I mean no. I don't have any motive like that. All I wanted is to get the job"

"I see. Next question then. Why apply for a job just now? I clearly read that this is your first attempt for a job interview? You are not planning to do some conspiracy once you've entered the palace right? Wait! Maybe you heard that this has something to do with Princess Maki's return and you jumped at the opportunity of seducing her!"

"No, ma'am! I-I have no such plans of seducing the princess!"

"OH… do you think I would believe that?! YOU!"

Feeling the pressure that Mrs. Marie's pointer finger has on her, who would have thought that the royal family keeps such an overly-protective granny. She looked at the Prime Minister who is calmly sipping her tea throughout the ruckus that is the head maid.

"Mrs. Marie, I just want to have a job. That's all. No more. No less"

"Hmph! Like I'll believe someone like you. Did you know that the first women we interviewed before you were all focused on one objective after getting the job? That is to seduce poor Princess Maki! Those women have no shame! Requesting items that belong to the princess. How rude of them"

Nico decided to simply nod at every rant the old woman is saying. She would simply wipe away the spitted saliva from her face once she got out of the room. But thinking about it, why would those girls even want something from the princess? Are they really planning to steal things the princess owned? And why would they even tell that to the head maid and in the presence of the prime minister as well! Those things are to be kept as secrets, right?

And dear heavens, why would they seduce the princess. From what she heard the princess is clearly a 'SHE' and maids are all 'SHE', was the princess really that charming to be able to have even girls wanting her? Also, the princess is two years younger which clearly implies that Nishikino Maki is just an eighteen year old girl once she inherited the throne. And she has no plans for falling in love with someone. After all, Idols are for everyone.

"And do you know what kind of things they are asking for?!"

At this moment, Nico knew that she has nothing left to do but to surrender to the wrath of an old lady.

"What kind of things are they asking for, Mrs. Marie?"

However, when Nico said her reply, she noticed that the old woman before her pause for a second. It was just for a short moment but she clearly saw that the old woman stared at her for a second. But the old woman continued as if nothing happened.

"Those shameful girls were asking for the royal princess' used underwear! Used towels, clothes, spoons and forks and even princess Maki's baby pictures! As long as they were used and belonged to the princess they wanted it eagerly! Shameless I tell you!"

Smirking at that information, Nico is left in disgust and wonder just how desperate those girls are to get under the princess' pants…or skirt. To tell the truth even if Nico was older than the princess, she had never seen what the girl is like. She simply heard news of her good deeds for the country and her endlessly seeming talents. Another reason why Nico thought she truly deserved to get the job. She is as innocent as a newborn baby!

"Now, Mrs. Marie. I think it is time for you to calm down. I think Yazawa-san has heard enough"

Nico thanked the Prime Minister and the Gods above that finally the old woman was stopped from her rumbling.

"Umm…are there any other questions you would like to ask? Mrs. Marie? Prime Minister?"

"No. that would be all, Yazawa-san. We'll just call to inform you if you were chosen or not"

"I'll be excusing myself then"

Nico properly stood from her seat and bowed her head towards the two high-ranking women in society. She just hoped that she nailed the interview. Nailed it in any possible way.

She just hoped that being clueless about the princess' identity actually helped her in getting the job.

But when Nico finally met…or more like saw the princess in person, she wished she had research on her at some point before working in the palace. She was never told of just how pretty the princess actually is. She was never told of how elegant her stature looks like, how attractive her features are and just how loving her voice is.

Princess Maki Nishikino, soon-to-be ruler of Valhalla Zap, is standing five meters away from her in an outfit not fitting her true beauty. Her shiny red tresses were tied at the back of her head by a dark thin ribbon. A dark blue cloak is protecting her and her tattered clothes accompanied by a pair of overly-used boots.

Nico thought the princess had no sense of fashion and creativity but she quickly dismissed the idea once she saw just how hypnotizing those pair of lavenders are.

And Yazawa Nico never knew that she would experience love at first sight within the palace grounds.

***End of Chapter One***

A/N: So...? Like it? Hate it? Want to read more of it? Reviews are always welcome since it will decide whether I'll continue this or not. Yeah...sorry if the pairings are the usual ones but I just really love them. Until then fellow LoveLivers!